How to Choose the Best Golf Travel Deals

Golf travel has become one of the most popular types of destination vacations. Many travel agents specialize in putting together and booking trips to areas of the country or other countries that are famous for their golf courses. Like any activity that becomes very popular, there are always a few scammers who take advantage of golfers willing to put up big dollars for golf trips that allow them to play golf courses they’ve seen on television or read about in a golfing magazine. Here are things to be watchful for when you book your next golf travel vacation.

Always ask for an itemized list of charges when you book your golf vacations, especially if you’re booking a package deal. Ask your travel agent if the price you’re paying includes greens fees and court surcharges, and if there will be other charges.

Be aware that some golf courses may require you to rent a cart. Many of the best courses don’t allow non-members to walk the green and require them to rent a cart instead.

Don’t book golf travel trips blind – that is, without knowing what’s going on in the area at the time you’ll be visiting. Check the local calendar to see what other events might be happening in the town or cities you’ll be staying in. Among other things, knowing what’s going on in town will help you schedule other activities around your golf games.

If your package deal includes golf and not just lodging in an area that gives you access to the golf courses you want to play, be sure to check the ratings and reviews on the courses where you’re booked to play. After all, what fun is golf travel if you end up playing on poorly ranked courses?

Choose a golf travel deal at an all-inclusive resort with a great reputation for golf. Many of the areas most famous for golf feature resorts built around golf courses, courses where anyone who is registered at the resort can play. Whether you book at a Myrtle Beach golf resort or an Arizona golf resort, you’re sure to get your rounds in if the golf course is part of the resort.

Whether your golf travel takes you to the East Coast or the West Coast, or even across the Atlantic to visit famous Scotland golf landmarks, always check the details of your arrangements to be sure that you’re getting what you think you’re getting. After all, your golf trip should provide you with nothing but happy memories.

Tips for Planning Golf Trips with Your Family

Destination vacations have been a major part of the travel industry for as long as there have been family vacations, but activity vacations are a growing trend within the genre. Golf trips are among the most popular types of vacations focused specifically on enjoying a particular activity. Among the most popular destinations for golf trips and golf vacations are Myrtle Beach, golf capital of the East Coast, and Arizona, which features some of the best desert golf courses in the world. If you’re planning to make golfing a major part of your family vacation, it’s important to choose a destination that offers other activities your entire family will enjoy. These golf trips tips can help you ensure that your whole family has fun – which translates to more happy time on the golf course for you.

Choose From Countless All-Inclusive Golf Vacations

Many Arizona golf destinations feature all inclusive resorts with access to onsite and offsite golf courses. Your trip will usually include the cost of greens fees for at least one round of golf at the resort golf course, and may include even more great golfing. While you’re off on the greens, your family can take advantage of water parks and pools, spa activities, activities geared for kids, and entertainment arranged by the resort.

Plan Afternoon Activities for the Kids

Contact the local Chamber of Commerce or check online for nearby fun activities for your kids, and plan a full slate of enjoyable things for their afternoons. Enjoy a morning of golf on your own while your kids take advantage of the hotel pool or game room, then join them for day trips to local attractions in the afternoons. Many Myrtle Beach golf destinations are within easy driving distance of marine museums, water parks and amusement parks where your kids can cut loose and have fun.

Add a Round of Mini Golf to Your Plans

Get your kids in on the fun of golf. If you hit up Tucson, Arizona golf courses, you’ll find that many of them are extremely kid-friendly. In fact, Tucson is one of the centers of the youth golf movement, with some of the best young golfers in the country. If your little ones are too little, or not interested in a game of real golf, most will still love getting in a round of mini golf with dad and mom. You’ll find mini golf centers and entertainment centers all up and down the coast, especially clustered around Myrtle Beach golf courses.

Don’t forget to take the rest of the family into consideration when planning golf trips. The more fun they have while you’re on the golf course, the more likely they are to look forward to future golf vacations.

Choosing the Best Golf Trips

Golf trips are becoming increasingly popular for holiday travel. Many travel agencies now offer grand tours of golfing areas, vacations at golf resorts and other golf-related vacations to their clients. If you’re sifting through golf vacations and trying to find the best deals, you’ll find there’s an embarrassment of riches. You don’t have to resort to happenstance in making a choice among the many golf trips available through your travel agent or online. These tips for choosing the best golf vacations can help.

List Your Must-Play Courses

If you dream of teeing off at Augusta, home of the Masters, you’re not going to manage it with an Arizona golf vacation. Start by listing the golf courses you’d love to play and work from there. A web search will help you find travel agencies that book golf trips in the surrounding area and may even be able to set you up with a tee time to your favorite courses as part of your package.

Draw a Circle on the Map

Start with your must-play courses as a center and draw a circle on the map to narrow down your choices of other local clubs. You could confine your golf vacation to one course, but why would you if you can play at a different club every day of your vacation? Of course, you’ll find far more in some areas of the country than in others. For example, South Carolina’s Grand Strand is home to well over 100 private and public golf courses. You can take in several when you plan a Myrtle Beach golf vacation.

Set Your Budget

Decide how much you can spend for your golf trip to help set your sights on a realistic goal. Of course, for some folks money is no option, but if you’re not one of them, you’ll find lots of great bargains on golf trips by shopping online. You can reduce the price somewhat by arranging your own travel, or by choosing golf vacations that are closer to home. If you’ve got a broader budget, consider Ireland golf trips and Scotland golf vacations for a never-to-be-forgotten trip for any golf lover.

Comparison Shop for Golf Trips

Once you’ve decided which courses you want to play, you get to the fun part – comparison shopping. You’ll find many sites online that specialize in golf trips. Make the rounds and look for golf travel sites that offer the combination of courses you want to play at the price you can afford.

Arizona Golf Vacations to Enjoy

Beautiful Arizona offers an incredible bounty to the golfer. With over 300 sunny days a year and average winter temperatures of about 70 degrees, the state is home to over 300 public and private golf courses that run the gamut from public greens open to anyone to golf resorts built around stunning courses designed by some of the best golf architects in the world. There are three basic Arizona golf destinations. If golf vacations interest you and you’re planning golf travel this coming year, Arizona golf courses are waiting for you.

Tucson, Arizona, Golf Experience

Tucson covers nearly 500 square miles of varied, diverse land, making it a perfect spot for casual golf crowd. The city, located at the north end of the Sonoran Desert, boasts about 350 sunny days a year. The warm temperatures and varied landscapes provide a mind-boggling variety of golf experiences for those on golf vacations. The casual atmosphere of the small Southwestern city spills over onto its golfing community. Tucson is the most welcoming city in the country for youth golfers, family golf and novice golfers. If it’s your first golf trip, Tucson is definitely worth the visit. It will be the first of many golf vacations to come.

Scottsdale, Arizona, Golf Clubs

The Phoenix – Scottsdale area of Arizona is one of the truly elite golf destinations in the world. Home to some of the wealthiest and most discerning people in the world, Phoenix has attracted the crème de la crème in course designer. Scottsdale,Arizona golf resorts offer incredible golfing, stunning scenery and the kind of luxury that you’d expect to find at high-end luxury resorts. Of course, there’s more to Scottsdale than golf courses. If you can tear yourself away from the rolling greens and sand traps, you’ll find world class restaurants featuring international cuisine, stunning scenery, water-skiing and hang gliding, shopping destinations and luxury spas. It’s the ideal spot for golf vacations for the serious golfer and family.

Sedona, Arizona, Golf Courses

Scottsdale may offer luxury golf courses and Tucson may cater to the more casual golfer, but Sedona provides the most dramatic and elite golf courses in a state famed for its golf courses. When the temperature in Scottsdale and Phoenix is hitting the triple digits, Sedona’s golf courses offer respite from the typical Arizona heat thanks to the mountain breezes. Sedona is home to more resort golf clubs than any other area in the state. Each of the stunning courses was designed by A-list course architects, and most are connected to resorts that were built for the purpose of serving the golfers attracted by the beauty and playability of the courses. While most of the resort courses are private, many of them offer public access to their links to give you plenty of opportunity to fill your golf card for the weekend or a few weeks.

If you’re looking for the ultimate in golf vacations, enlist the help of a travel agent experienced in booking golf travel and golf tours.

Planning Golf Trips for Your Family

Vanity and specialty vacations have always been popular, but none are quite as popular in recent years as golf trips – vacations that center around hitting some of the best links in the country. If you enjoy golfing and are considering a vacation where you intend to enjoy a round or five of excellent golf, these tips for planning golf trips can help you put together a vacation that you and your entire family will enjoy.

Enjoy Myrtle Beach Golf

In Myrtle Beach, golf is second nature. With nearly 120 golf courses along the Grand Strand, you’ll have a huge choice of excellent greens on which you can tee off. You can easily golf a different course each day, and take advantage of champion courses designed by some of the best golf course architects in the country. While you’re out enjoying the golf links, your wife and kids – assuming they’re not golfers themselves – won’t be stuck sitting around the hotel room. Myrtle Beach offers so many other attractions that you’ll be hard pressed to fit them all into one short, or very long, vacation. There’s shopping, water parks, amusement parks and, of course, some of the most stunning and scenic beaches of the Atlantic Coast.

Hit the Links in Arizona

Arizona golf courses are definitely coming into their own. With several golf courses making the grade in Golf magazine’s 100 Best Courses to Play, the Phoenix/Scottsdale area features desert golf at its best. Sunshine, dry weather and stunning scenery all add up to golf trips that can’t be equaled anywhere else in the nation. But unlike Myrtle Beach, Scottsdale and Phoenix didn’t develop around golf, so there are even more attractions to amuse your family while you’re out enjoying your swinging lifestyle. If, on the other hand, your family also loves to golf, you should definitely include a swing through Tucson on your golf vacation. Though it’s a relative newcomer to the ranks of the top golfing trips in the country, Tucson has already made a name for itself as a family-friendly golf area. Look into all-inclusive resort vacations that include Arizona golf in the amenities.

Overseas Golf Trips

If your golf trips take you overseas, you can’t miss out on Ireland and Scotland, golf capitals of the Old World. The Emerald Isle and Scotland, the land where golf got its start, feature the oldest and most famous golf courses in the entire world. Even newcomers to the game of golf can’t escape the thrill of standing on the Old Course at St. Andrews, site of some of the most famous games ever played.

If you’re considering a golfing vacation this summer, your best bet may be to work through a travel agent or website that specializes in putting together golf trips, and taking advantage of their connections and expertise to get the best deals on golf trips and golf vacations.

Myrtle Beach Golf Vacations Let You Enjoy the Scenery

Most golfers don’t golf for the scenery, but when you’re in Myrtle Beach, you can’t help but enjoy the view. Golf vacations in Myrtle Beach offer a few major advantages you won’t find anywhere else like the 110 plus golf courses to choose from, gorgeous weather and a culture built around golf add up to create a golfer’s paradise. It’s hard to find an unattractive course, but there are some jewels that are true standouts, even when you compare them to other Grand Strand courses. If your golf vacations are taking you to Myrtle Beach this year, be sure to check out these stunning courses where the scenery is almost as good as the golf.

Rivers Edge, an Arnold Palmer Signature course, is easily one of the most beautiful courses you’ll ever play. Six of the holes play out to the bluffs overlooking grassy marshlands and the Shalotte River. It’s not just a pretty face, either. Developed in 1999, Rivers Edge was named to Golf Magazine’s “Top New Courses You Can Play” in 2000 and in “The Best Courses Near You” in both 2008 and 2010.

Winyah Bay, touted as the course where nature meets golf vacations, is another of the most beautiful – and most underrated – golf courses on the Grand Strand. Located in Georgetown, South Carolina, the course opened in 1955, making it one of the oldest courses on the Grand Strand. In 1998, Winyah Bay got a major facelift and an additional nine holes, making it one of the newest 18-hole courses in the Myrtle Beach area. The course overlooks Winyah Bay, affording stunning views from most of the holes, and the topography makes the play interesting. After your game, relax on the antebellum verandah and enjoy the view with one of the club’s signature drinks.

Glen Dornoch, designed by Clyde Johnston, plays along the Intracoastal Waterway. The course meanders among centuries old oaks and over the marshes. Many of the holes feature spectacular views of the waterway, and the course features some surprise changes in elevation to keep the play interesting. It’s one of the four courses that make up The Glens Golf Group, and easily the prettiest of the group.

The Dunes Club, designed by Robert Trent Jones and opened in 1948, takes anybody’s prize as the most spectacular golf course on the Grand Strand. It’s biggest claim to fame is that it’s the only Grand Strand course that’s built along the Atlantic Ocean. While the others flirt with the waterways and inland marshes, only the Dunes is actually right on the ocean, and the stunning views alone are worth the green fees.

If you’re planning one or more golf vacations this year, make sure you get one of these gorgeous courses on your list.

Things to Do on Myrtle Beach Golf Vacations Besides Play Golf

Myrtle Beach golf vacations have a lot more to offer than access to more than 100 of the best golf courses in the country. Let’s face it – as much as you might love it, you can’t spend 24 hours a day on the green. If you’re planning a golf trip to Myrtle Beach, you’re just going to have to suck it up and check out some of the other wonderful things you can do on golf trips to Myrtle Beach.

All the Sand Is Not In the Sand Traps

Yes, Myrtle Beach features gorgeous beaches, so plan a day to get acquainted with sand that isn’t there to make your golf game more challenging. Myrtle Beach is part of South Carolina’s Grand Strand, with 60 miles of white sand beaches and sparkling blue water. Plan in some family time with a visit to a water park – if you’ve got an adventure ride fan in your travel group, be sure to check out the Swamp Fox at Family Kingdom Amusement Park, one of the few remaining wooden roller coasters in the country.

Watch the Pelicans Hit Something Bigger Than a Golf Ball

Myrtle Beach is home to a High Class A team in baseball’s minor leagues. If you’re planning golf trips between April and September, check out the Myrtle Beach Pelicans’ schedule to see if they’ve got a game on. Enjoy an evening game, complete with hot dogs and beer, and get in early enough to rest up for an early tee time in the morning. You’ll find that the ticket prices are very reasonable, especially if you compare them to major league ballparks.

Swing Something Besides A Golf Club

When Irving Mills wrote “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” he wasn’t talking about your 9 iron. Get into the swing of things with some of the country’s top recording and performing acts at one of Myrtle Beach’s top musical clubs. Check out House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach to see who’s swinging the place during your golf vacation, and book tickets for a show that will be almost as memorable as your morning at the Dye Club.

Laugh at a Joke That’s Funnier Than Your Slice

After a brutal day of golf on some of the most challenging courses on the Grand Strand, get out for an evening of tension relief. The Comedy Cabana is only one of the many clubs in Myrtle Beach that feature stand-up comedy, but it may be one of the best. If you’re lucky, your golf trips will coincide with a visit by a national headliner, but even the locals will knock some of that tension out of your stance and loosen you up for a better set in the morning.

In addition, Myrtle Beach features incredible restaurants for your dining pleasure, two huge outlet malls to tickle your shopping bone and hot dance clubs where you can work out the kinks after a day on the course. If you need more ideas, talk to a travel agent who specializes in Myrtle Beach golf vacations and learn more about the wonderful non-golf things you can do on your golf trip.